1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hinge assembly and to wrist mounting-type electronic apparatus mounted on the wrist and utilizing the hinge assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 18 is a constitution view showing a mounting member of a conventional wrist mounting type electronic apparatus 110. According to the wrist mounting type electronic apparatus 110, timepiece, computer, communication apparatus or the like is constituted by an electronic circuit to thereby downsize the wrist mounting type electronic apparatus to be able to be mounted on the wrist. Such a wrist mounting type electronic apparatus 110 is constituted by a main body 111 for executing a function provided thereby and a mounting member 112 for mounting the electronic apparatus on the wrist.
The mounting member 112 shown in the drawing is pivoted centering on a hinge 113 having a coupling portion coupled with the main body 111, thereby enabling mounting and dismounting on and from the wrist. An end portion of the mounting member 112 on a side opposed to the hinge 113, is provided with an engaging portion 114 for maintaining a state of being mounted onto the wrist. The engaging portion 114 is of a type of inserting a sheet metal member 116 substantially in a shape of check mark the width of which can be changed by elastic deformation, into an insertion slot 115 having a narrow opening.
The sheet metal member 116 substantially in the shape of the check mark, is formed by a shape in which a front end thereof is bent to fold in an acute angle and when the sheet metal member 116 is pressed to the insertion slot 115, the sheet metal member 116 is elastically deformed to contract to the width of the opening by following walls of the opening of the insertion slot 115. The sheet metal member 116 substantially in the shape of the check mark, is reduced in the width by the elastic deformation and passes through the insertion slot 115. After passing therethrough, the sheet metal member 116 elastically recovers to the original width in a space at inside of the insertion slot 115 and is prevented from being drawn therefrom. The space is provided with an attachment and detachment window 117 communicating with outside and when the sheet metal member 116 in the shape of the check mark is pressed from outside of the attachment and detachment window 117 to constitute a width the same as that of the width of the opening, the mounting member is drawn again from the insertion slot 115.
However, according to the conventional wrist mounting type electronic apparatus, opening and closing operation is carried out by utilizing a self weight thereof and accordingly, there poses a problem that the wrist mounting type electronic apparatus is difficult to open unless the position of the hinge is not pertinent. In this case, the mounting member must be opened and closed by a human hand and attached and detached to and from the wrist, which is inconvenient. Further, the mounting member is provided with a property that when the mounting member is mounted to the wrist or the like, the opened mounting member is fluctuated and accordingly, the mounting member is difficult to mount thereon.
Hence, the invention has been carried out in view of the above described and it is an object thereof to provide a hinge assembly and a wrist mounting-type electronic apparatus utilizing the hinge assembly and which can attach and detach a mounting member by a simple operation and is not fluctuated even in an opened state thereof.
In order to achieve the above-described object, according to the invention, there is provided a wrist mounting type electronic apparatus comprising a strap formed of a hard material, a hinge attached to a coupling portion of the strap and a cabinet of a main body and urged by a spring in a direction of opening the strap relative to the cabinet of the main body, a push button provided at the cabinet and engaging means engaged in a state of mounting the strap onto a wrist and disengaged by the push button.
The wrist mounting type electronic apparatus is constituted by the main body and the strap. According to the invention, there is provided the engaging means for mounting the strap of the hard material around the wrist. The engaging means may be constituted by insertion engagement for inserting a shaft into a hole by utilizing a difference in a thickness of the shaft, recess and projection engagement for making a groove catch a biting piece, or latch engagement for fixing a pivotal movement portion by a latch. Further, a position of providing the engaging means may be disposed at an end portion of the cabinet of the main body or the coupling portion of the straps. The push button provided at the cabinet of the main body is provided such that the engaging means is disengaged by pressing the push button. Further, a number of providing the push button is not limited to one. With regard to connection of the push button with the engaging means, the insertion can mechanically be disengaged, the biting to the groove can be disengaged or the latch can be disengaged in accordance with the engaging means. When the engaging means is disengaged, the strap is opened by the hinge urged by the spring and the wrist mounting type electronic apparatus can promptly be disengaged from the wrist.
Next, according to the invention, there is provided a wrist mounting type electronic apparatus comprising a first strap having an inserting portion at a front end thereof and rotatably supported by a main body, a second strap having an inserted portion inserted by the inserting portion at a front end thereof and rotatably supported by the main body, and a button for fixing the inserting portion to the inserted portion and releasing the inserted portion from the inserting portion. By providing the button for fixing and releasing the inserting portion and the inserted portion, the wrist mounting type electronic apparatus can easily be attached and detached to and from the wrist.
Next, according to the invention, there is provided the wrist mounting type electronic apparatus, further comprising a spring for urging at least one of the first strap and the second strap in an opening direction. By urging the strap by the spring, the strap can easily be disengaged from the wrist.
Next, according to the invention, there is provided the wrist mounting type electronic apparatus, wherein the inserting portion includes a groove provided on an inner side of an outer configuration thereof and a hole larger than the groove at a terminal end of the groove, and the inserted portion is provided with the button having a shaft in a taper shape and the shaft is coaxial with a center of the hole. By engaging the hole of the inserting portion and the shaft of the button, when the button is pushed, a portion of the shaft having a shaft diameter smaller than the diameter of the hole is moved from the hole, the inserting portion and the inserted portion are released and therefore, the wrist mounting type electronic apparatus can easily be disengaged from the wrist.
Further, next, according to the invention, there is provided a wrist mounting type electronic apparatus characterized in comprising a strap coupled to a hinge urged by a spring in an opening direction, an inserting portion constituting a flat portion provided at an edge portion of the strap on a side opposed to the hinge, having a small diameter hole and having a groove communicating with the small diameter hole from the edge portion by a width smaller than the small diameter, an inserted portion provided at a cabinet and having a slot portion slightly higher than the inserting portion, and a rod member extended from a push button attached to the inserted portion, having a shape connecting a shaft A having a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the hole and a shaft B having a diameter smaller than a width of the groove by a taper a diameter of which is reduced toward a side of the push button and held by a spring to expose the shaft A and the taper portion to the slot when the push button is not pressed and expose the shaft B to the engaging slot when the push button is pressed.
The spring for urging the strap in the opening direction may be constituted by providing one end of a coil spring to a side of the cabinet and other end thereof to the strap or end portions of a leaf spring may be constituted similarly. Thereby, so far as the strap is not engaged, the strap maintains an opened state relative to the cabinet of the main body. The groove provided at the flat portion of the inserting portion passes the bar member having the diameter smaller than the width of the groove. After passing therethrough, the diameter of the bar member is increased and therefore the bar member is prevented from reversely returning from the groove. At this occasion, the bar member stays in the small diameter hole communicating with the groove.
The inserting portion is inserted into the slot portion of the inserted portion to which the bar member extended from the push button is exposed. When the push button is not pressed, the bar member is held by the spring such that the shaft A and the taper portion are exposed to the slot. Further, when the push button is pressed, the bar member exposes the shaft B to the slot. When the inserting portion inserted into the slot is brought into contact with the taper portion, the inserting portion pushes down the bar member and exposes the shaft B and makes the shaft B pass through the groove. After passing therethrough, the bar member is pushed back by the spring, the shaft A is fitted to the small diameter hole and the inserting portion is prevented from drawing from the slot portion easily.
Next, according to the invention, there is provided the wrist mounting type electronic apparatus, wherein the inserted portion is provided at a strap D coupled to an end portion of a main body of the wrist mounting type electronic apparatus via a hinge on a side opposed to the strap C. According to the invention, the inserting portion of the strap is engaged with the inserted portion similar to the above-described. According to the invention, the straps C and D are provided on both sides of the main body of the wrist mounting type electronic apparatus via hinges. Further, the inserted portion is provided at the strap D and accordingly, the straps are engaged with each other. When the engagement is disengaged, there can be constituted a state in which the straps C and D are opened on the both sides of the main body.
Next, according to the invention, there is provided the wrist mounting type electronic apparatus, wherein one face E forming the hinge is combined with a flat face and a curved face and other face F is provided with a press pin straightly moved by a spring for pressing the face E. When the face E constituting a face of a counter side of the hinge is the curved face, the press pin provided at the face F and moving straightly, is not caught thereby, makes pivotal movement smooth and also prevents play. Further, when the face E is the flat face, the strap coupled to the hinge at the angle is difficult to rotate. Thereby, the strap settles excellently at a convenient position.
Further, next, according to the invention, there is provided a wrist mounting type electronic apparatus comprising a strap coupled to a hinge urged by a spring in an opening direction, a latch urged to an opening side by a spring at an inner portion of a hole A provided at one hinge piece constituting the hinge, a hole B provided at a hinge piece opposed to the hole A for fitting the latch, and a push out bar integral with a push button projected to a surface of a cabinet, movable upwardly and downwardly from a vicinity of a bottom of the hole B to an opening portion thereof and held at the vicinity of the bottom by a spring when the push button is not pressed.
The spring for urging the strap in an opening direction may be provided with one end of a coil spring at a side of the cabinet and other end at the strap or end portions of a leaf spring may be constituted similarly. Thereby, so far as the strap is not engaged, the strap maintains an opened state relative to the cabinet of the main body. The hinge is constituted by constituting a pivotal movement pair by the two hinge pieces. When the latch urged to the opening side of the hole A is fitted to the hole B, the strap is fixed. The push out bar serves to push out the latch fitted into the hole B. When the latch is pushed out from the hole B, the strap is made pivotable and is brought into an opened state relative to the main body of the cabinet by being urged by the spring. Further, a number of the strap coupled by the hinge may be one or may be two.
Next, according to the invention, there is provided a wrist mounting type electronic apparatus comprising a strap coupled to a hinge urged by a spring in an opening direction and having a structure of sliding a shaft portion and a cover portion covering the shaft portion in pivotal movement thereof, a groove provided at a portion of the shaft portion, and a bite bar provided in a shape of a seesaw at a window portion communicating a surface of the cover portion and the shaft portion with a pin as a fulcrum, urged by a spring in a direction in which a projection bites the groove and disengaged from biting the groove by pushing an end portion thereof on a side opposed to the projection.
The hinge according to the invention is provided with a structure in which the two hinge pieces are pivoted relative to each other. There is used recess and projection fitting or a combination of the shaft portion and the cover portion covering the shaft portion in the pivoting structure. A window portion is provided at the surface of the cover portion and the shaft portion is exposed there from. The bite bar is provided at the window portion and the projection is urged by the spring in the direction of biting the groove of the shaft portion. Therefore, when there is not the groove at the shaft portion, the projection does not bite the groove and the hinge is pivoted freely. When the strap is pivoted and an angle of exposing the groove to the window portion is constituted, the projection of the bite bar bites the groove and pivotal movement of the strap is fixed.
When the end portion on the side opposed to the projection of the bite bar is pushed, since the bite bar is provided in the shape of the seesaw with the pin as the fulcrum, the projection is disengaged from the groove and the strap is pivoted freely. The strap is urged by the spring and therefore, when the strap is pivoted freely, the strap maintains an opened state relative to the main body of the wrist mounting type electronic apparatus. Further, the window portion provided with the bite bar may be disposed at the cabinet of the main body of the wrist mounting type electronic apparatus or may be disposed at the strap portion.
Next, according to the invention, there is provided a wrist mounting type electronic apparatus comprising a strap coupled to a hinge urged by a spring in an opening direction, a latch provided at an inner hole of a projected portion constituting the hinge by being urged by a spring in a direction of jumping out in an axial direction from a side face of the inner hole, pivoted along with the projected portion by being bound in pivotal movement thereof by a combination with a shape of the inner hole and provided with a shape of a side face constituting a same direction only by a single angle with a recessed side of the hinge as a reference in a pivotal movement range of the strap, a latch receive bound in pivotal movement thereof by a combination with a shape of an inner hole provided at the recessed portion of the hinge and provided with a shape of a side face fitted to the latch when the projected portion constitutes the single angle, and a push button a shaft integral therewith of which penetrates the latch receive, pushing the fitted latch to return to the inner hole of the projected portion by being pushed and projected to prevent from disengaging and dropping from a side face of the recessed portion.
The latch is provided at the inner hole of the projected portion constituting the hinge. The inner hole is not constituted by a simple cavity of a cylinder but formed with a groove or a projection. By forming a groove or a projection in conformity therewith also at the latch, the latch is bound in pivotal movement thereof and pivoted along with the projected portion. Further, the latch is urged by the spring in the direction of jumping out in the axial direction from the side face of the inner hole. Meanwhile, similar to the latch, the latch receive is bound in pivotal movement thereof by the combination with the shape of the inner hole provided at the recessed portion of the hinge. The latch is provided with the shape of the side face constituting the same direction only by the single angle with a recessed side of the hinge as reference in a pivotal movement range of the strap.
Therefore, the shape of the side face of the latch receive is determined such that the latch is fitted therewith at a desired angle. Further, when the fitting is carried out, the strap is fixed at the angle. The shaft integral with the push button serves to push back the latch fitted by pressing the push button to the inner hole of the projected portion. When the latch is recessed to the inner hole, the hinge per se is urged in the opening direction by the spring and therefore, the strap coupled by the hinge is brought into the opened state relative to the cabinet of the main body of the wrist mounting type electronic apparatus. The push button may be provided with a flange to prevent from disengaging and dropping from the side face of the recessed portion or the shaft may be locked by the latch receive by a ring lock.
Next, according to the invention, there is provided the wrist mounting type electronic apparatus wherein the latch is provided with a two face width portion at one end portion of a cylindrical shaft thereof and inscribed with a straight line groove at an end portion thereof on an opposed side and the latch receive is provided with a two face width portion fitted to the straight line groove, integrated with a key and engaged with an inner face of the inner hole of the recessed portion.
When the two face width portion is provided at the one end portion of the cylindrical shaft and the inner hole is provided with the shape capable of fitting the two face width portion, the latch is pivoted along with the projected portion of the hinge. The strap of the wrist mounting type electronic apparatus can serve by pivotal movement equal to or smaller than 120 degrees. Therefore, in the pivotal movement range of the strap or the hinge, the straight line groove inscribed at the end portion of the latch is provided with the shape constituting the same direction only by the single angle with the recessed side of the hinge as the reference. (The same direction is constituted only after rotating by 180 degrees.)
The latch receive is provided with the two face width portion fitted to the straight line groove. By the fitting, the latch jumps out from the inner hole. The latch receive is integrated with the key and engaged with the inner face of the inner hole of the recessed portion and therefore, the fitted latch is also bound in the pivotal movement and is fixed. When the latch is fixed, the hinge brought into the fitted state by the two face width portion is also fixed.
Next, according to the invention, there is provided a wrist mounting type electronic apparatus comprising a motor attached to an inner portion of a cabinet of a main body of the wrist mounting type electronic apparatus and having a shaft connected to a piece of a hinge coupled with the main body of the wrist mounting type electronic apparatus and a strap, hinge fixing means for fixing the hinge at a desired angle, and a push button for releasing a fixed state by the hinge fixing means and serving also as a switch of the motor.
The push button constitutes the switch of the motor and therefore, the motor is rotated by pressing the push button. The hinge fixing means is realized by recess and projection engagement for making a groove catch a biting piece, latch engagement for fixing a pivotal movement portion by a latch, or engagement for locking teeth of a gear attached to the shaft of the motor. The push button disengages the engagement and rotates the motor. When the motor is rotated, the rotation is transmitted to the hinge via the shaft to thereby rotate the strap. Thereby, the wrist mounting type electronic apparatus is attached and detached to and from the wrist.